WELCOME to 2013 and congratulations are in order for having all made it together with your faculties. It is an awesome privilege to be alive at such a time as this.

Before we all rush off and put down the traditional resolutions and goals, tarry for a moment and do things differently in 2013. Many of us silently agree we do have limiting beliefs that keep us shackled in mediocrity, and much of the financial anguish we experienced in 2012 was just a manifestation of these deep-seated beliefs.

Before you conclude your 2013 goals answer the following question: Is your job a call that you were born to do which gives you total fulfilment or it is just one of those optical illusions that you persist in because it gives you an image of security?

With these talks of fiscal cliffs, do you just want something which brings in a guaranteed monthly income that covers the usual bills although you totally hate what you do? If that is you, then you probably are shackled to some form of limiting beliefs.

Limiting beliefs are false beliefs that we acquire as a result of making an incorrect conclusion about something in life. Limiting beliefs are usually subconscious, operating below the level of awareness most of the time and only manifesting through limiting side effects when we try to pursue ambitious goals.

Many limiting beliefs were installed in early childhood served as mental shortcuts to keep us safe. A belief is defined as an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists. Beliefs are not always based on truth and fact but often on what we have heard, observed or was taught. We form beliefs because they help simplify our lives.

Limiting beliefs can hold us back from achieving what we want converting our technically possible goals into effectively impossible fantasies. If you believe that you were unlucky in 2012, you look for the facts that support this, but also open your mind and start searching for the facts that suggest otherwise in 2013. As you prove your limiting belief wrong, the weaker it becomes, until it eventually fades away and has no power over you anymore.

If limiting beliefs held you back in 2012 from happiness and your true potential by reminding you of the fact that you are not good enough, do not let them imprison you in 2013. Even if you do manage to follow your heart and take action towards your dreams, your limiting beliefs will subconsciously cause you to sabotage your progress until you unmask it. The biggest differences between those who succeed and those who do not is the ability to identify and eliminate limiting beliefs.

Those of us who have been natured in a faith-based environment have advanced the belief that money is the root of all evil while the biblical quote this belief is derived from actually says “the love of money is the root of all evil.” A number of us were brought up hearing stereotype generalizations such as “to get rich you have to lie, bribe and cheat”; “rich people use other people to make their money so they are rich because we are poor”, “you cannot be rich and spiritual” and “rich people use evil ‘muti’ and goblins to make money”. These thoughts linger in the cobwebs of our minds preventing the attraction of abundance.

I have seen lots of rich people who lie and cheat but I have also witnessed hordes of poor people lying and cheating. Can you joyfully make money if your values and beliefs are unconsciously reminding you that money is evil? Is it the money that is really evil or the behaviour of those who do not know how to use money wisely? Money is a tool and like anything else in life, money can be thought of and used in a constructive or destructive fashion.

When you start working on your 2013 goals, your limiting beliefs will rarely express themselves openly. Usually they will manifest by influencing your thinking and behaviours in ways that stop you from implementing your goals.

A scarcity mindset is a limiting belief that can hold you back in many ways. Some of us have grown up with very limiting beliefs around wealth and abundance. You may have an unconscious negative perception about wealth, abundance and money.Negative money habits and financial beliefs place an emotional ceiling on your ability to produce unlimited prosperity, abundance and wealth.

For a long time it was universally acknowledged that the human body was physically incapable of running a mile in under four minutes until Roger Bannister came along and ran it in 3:59 back in 1954. Since then, runners have been steadily breaking this record. There was a time you could have solicited laughter to suggest the earth is round but these beliefs have changed.

Your money beliefs dictate your financial health and well being. We tend to lie to ourselves in order to protect our fragile egos by telling ourselves getting by is good enough. Ask yourself if you are happy with your financial situation. If not, is it because you believe it’s hard to make money? Is it because you believe that you are not smart enough to set up your own business? Is it because you think you can’t get a better job?

In South Africa where I live, the current societal attitudes with a widening gap between the rich and poor are something to apologize for and feel guilty about. That is why the new deputy president of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa had to go on record and apologise for bidding for a rare breed of buffalo for a couple of million rand at a public auction.

Stop reinforcing debilitating beliefs like “No matter what I do I can never get ahead” or “People like me don’t have a lot of money”. Do you believe you are smart enough, talented enough and good enough to become wealthy? Do you believe you have the right to be paid for doing something you really enjoy doing?

You can create new beliefs in 2013 such as: I was created as a magnificent, intelligent, and talented individual with a unique gift to give this earth. Stop embracing poverty in 2013 and say to yourself it is natural for me to be fulfilled, satisfied, successful and happy.

Tafirenyika L. Makunike is the chairman and founder of Nepachem cc (www.nepachem.co.za), an enterprise development and consulting company. He writes in his personal capacity.